Peat moss workers hit the picket line in Richer

Employees of Premier Horticulture walked out onto the picket line on Aug. 4.

The Construction Workers Union, CLAC Local 152 said they’ve been working for a year to negotiate a renewal of their expired six-year collective agreement.

“Wages for these workers have not kept pace with inflation,” Geoff Dueck Thiessen, the regional director of the CLAC said. “We’re looking for this employer to respect the work their employees perform under difficult circumstances by keeping pace with their neighbours.”

Premier Horticulture employs people who harvest peat moss from peat bogs and package it at a plant near Richer.

“We are seeking a shorter collective agreement duration and improved wages following a series of long collective agreements and high inflation,” Dueck Thiessen said in an emailed statement. “We are in ongoing negotiations with the employer, so I won’t be commenting more specifically than that.”

As employees walk the picket line, Dueck Thiessen said he’s hoping to see resolution.

“We’re eager to find a settlement these workers can agree to and get them back to work as soon as possible.”